HEAT (15)
D: Michael Mann
Warner Bros./Forward Pass/New Regency (Art Linson
& Michael Mann)
US 1995
160 mins
Crime/Drama
W: Michael Mann [based on his
television show 'L. A. Takedown']
DP: Dante Spinotti
Ed: Dov Hoenig, Pasquale Buba, William
Goldenberg & Tom Rolf
Mus: Elliott Goldenthal
PD: Neil Spisak
Al Pacino (Vincent Hanna), Robert DeNiro (Neil
McCauley), Val Kilmer (Chris Shiherlis), Jon Voight (Nate), Tom Sizemore (Michael Cheritto), Diane Venora (Justine), Amy Brenneman (Eady), Ashley Judd (Charlene)
Al Pacino & Robert DeNiro, two of the finest
actors of their generation, both appeared in 1974's The Godfather part II, but never shared any scenes together since their characters existed in different periods of time, they
finally got to act opposite each other in Heat, Michael Mann's remake of his own 1989 TV movie L. A. Takedown.
The lengthy crime saga is meticulously focused on
the theory that the lives of both cops & robbers are on similar paths, facing the same personal issues and relationship matters, their fates are only divided by the
law.
While some scenes delve slightly into soap opera
territory, the majority of the pacing builds the tension brilliantly towards a cool and calm coffee shop encounter between the two men, followed almost immediately by an action-packed
bank heist in which one of the two men will ultimately meet his end.
Both actors portray their characters well and
director Mann focuses on real-life issues rather than gunfire & car chases.
Worth watching simply for the iconic coffee shop
meeting between the two screen legends.
8/10
